A Traitors Legacy
by Sabredancer
Summary: Raised among a group of horse shape shifters Caer never knew her true parents or who they were. But one night everything changes as the white viper finds her world turned upside down and herself entraped in a battle with ahnleh.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello! This is my first ever FanFic and I'm sorry if it doesn't make perfect sense. However, I consider feedback very valuable so if you guys would mind taking just one moment and letting me know what you think I would be grateful. Also, for those of you who are Nyeusigrube and ha'shmla experts feel free to correct me and let me know if you notice anything that doesn't add up as the story progresses. I am also in need of someone who knows the third book FalconDance really well and would be willing to aid me. If you're interested please e-mail me and I will give you more information. I hope you enjoy the story!**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Kiesh'ra, it's characters, it's plot or anything else Amelia Atwater-Rhodes has created. Other then most of the plot ( I say most of because eventually some of this might tie in with FalconDance) the only thing I do own are the Centauri race and even that is an idea that has been around for a long time.

Caer yawned, lifting long sun tanned limbs high over her head. She blinked in the bright light that poured into her tent through the many seams and for a moment she almost forgot where she was, but before she could have time to ponder it somebody pawed softly at the ground next to her tent flap.

"Caer, are you awake yet girl?"

Girl…the words stung in her ears, her twenty first birthday had just happened yesterday yet Flynn still referred to her as a girl. In some ways he was entitled to call her that, after all despite his appearance he was ancient, far older then her. As she had celebrated her twenty first had celebrated his two hundredth and fourteenth, as was tradition since each member of the herd all had their birthdays on the same day.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" she snapped, annoyed at having the first peaceful moments of day break stolen from her, it was the one moment when things weren't always busy.

Lifting off the blanket that had kept her warm during the night she stood up and tried to stretch the low ceiling of the tent keeping her from rising to her full height. Donning a leather jerkin which had been tanned a deep green, ebony boots which laced up to her knee over tan pants and a leather tie to put her hair back she took in one last moment of quiet before opening up the flap of her tent and emerging into the sunlight.

The camp swarmed like an anthill, everyone getting ready to move out, making sure nothing was left behind to tarnish the land. Even so though she noticed something was different, as if a cloud had come over them though the sky seemed to be clear. Here and their a few of the children, foals they were called among the herd, played, ignoring the calls of their parents and enjoying the chaos. The Centuari were a free people, they easily emanated the beauty and power that was there second form just as she radiated the lazy grace that marked her as one of the Serpiente .But they were also weary of strangers and mistrusted things they did not understand…The wind, the trees, water flowing over rock, their instincts those were things that made sense to them. An the instincts of a horse did not include a friendliness with snakes.

Turing her attention back to Flynn she pinned him with her eyes. He was one of the few that had truly cared for over the years, guarding her and treating her as one of their own. He had in many ways been like a father to her. Father figure or not though that wasn't about to save him from her sharp tongue…

"What in the name of blood is so important that the whole camp is up and about at this hour?" she breathed sullenly. It wasn't really the hour that bothered her; it was the fact that she didn't know what was going on that disturbed her. No matter how hard she tried to prove herself to them it seemed as though she could never quite earn their trust and never quite know all of what was going to happen until the last minute.

"Were moving out. We have to be at the top of the stone circle by night fall." He kept his face carefully controlled, and his voice even. He had always been one of the more serious of the herd but at the same time he usually kept a bit of a carefree aura to him. Now there was nothing in his dark brown eyes but a distance that he hadn't used since Ashwin passed.

Move out? So soon? Why did they have to make such a long distance by nightfall? The Centauri were a nomadic people, of course they always wandered in the same place, their land had borders just as the Mistari, Avians, Serpiente and all the other nearby shifters did but they had barely arrived at the place of their summer camp and to be leaving only a week after arriving for the hill was too soon. Way to soon, that was the place where they usually spent the winter. It was more sheltered and formal with actual buildings, shops and quarters for the higher ranking herd members. There were even a few who livid there year-round keeping the place up and running, making useful things such as the clothes she was wearing now.

"Already? It seems that we have barely arrived."

Flynn frowned at her, his disproval clearly shown on his face. A mask she thought, covering over something else. "You'd think after fourteen years of living with us you would have gotten used to it." Then his voice softened, ever so slightly, he had watched over her ever since Syfka, their ally from the white city, had delivered her to them. He was her guardian, and had been so from day one when she first came to the camp barely old enough to do much besides eat and scream. "Just trust me and pack. It is...very important that we reach our destination by nightfall." Changing his tone abruptly back to the normal indifferent one he used he said; "I'll help you with your tent."

Everyone in the Centauri camp had to pull their own weight, it was a fact she had been raised to understand and except. Flynn had his own things to tend to. They were a small people; there roots having been lost and the legends surrounding them obscure and as fragmented as a broken egg shell. If things really were as serious as he was making them out to be then he needed to be getting his things together. Not helping her. "Don't you have your own things to tend to?"

Shaking his head he motioned toward a bundle not far from where he stood and without another word began helping her. First pulling off the tough canvas and then taking out the polls that had held the tent in place...Last but not least he pulled the stakes up from the ground and threw them toward the center of the camp where a burn pile was being made. Caer gathered up her belongings all the while discreetly watching him as well as the others. Fully capable of taking care of herself it made no sense why he was helping her and why things were in such an uproar. A few moments of careful observation could help her to make sense of the muddle.

Body language was the key to understanding them, the twitch of an ear, and the flick of a tail. Like their allies they preferred to stay in their Demi-forms most of the time. They had been granted the upper body of a man and the body and ears of a horse. It made them superior in many ways for they could move swiftly while still being able to talk the common speech and use their hands. Their hearing was far better then in there humane forms and they could see the basic colors in that form. She merely had to take a moment to watch them and maybe things would make sense.

Searching through the subtle signs of those around her she finally came to her decision. Though it wasn't often someone was coming .Visitors weren't a common occurrence and created a different sort of buzz. Who or why though was still something that was yet to be discovered. Raised among them she wasn't raised as one of them and there were still things she didn't know about her adopted people. She always had the sense that this life wasn't forever…that someday she would go back to wherever it is she was from though she had been told the Serpiente would reject her. The thought was far from a calming one, from all that she knew so far she would never quite fit in anywhere.

When everything was packed and ready, her few belongings tucked into a leather pouch that rested on her hip and her clothes rolled into another pack she made her way into the center of the camp, or well what used to be it anyways. Other then the packs lying on the soft ground and the blackened pit in the center of them all which had served as a fire pit of sorts there was just a green field next to a slow moving river and some trees they hadn't been there long enough to leave a mark. It was a simple dwelling place; the Centauri had never had much more. According to the legends though it wasn't always so.

Once upon a time things had been different and they had been a nation far different then the one that they were now. It was even whispered that they once had powers, magic, wealth and even…an allegiance with the humans of Nyesigrube. Most of it was what she believed to be far fetched nonsense, she had been well educated in her growing up and from what she knew of the humans they were dangerous and did not trust anything that they could not explain. As far as magic's went though… truly the Centauri did possess some rare gifts, but they were rarely ever used. Each herd member in its own way had its own ability, something extra that had been thrown into the mix. Usually the ruler of the herds, the horse lord as he was called was picked on what his powers were. It was done by election and was quite different from the normal customs that the other nations seemed to follow. Of course a leader could always be challenged and dethroned if the herds saw fit but rarely ever had this happened. His son or daughter could also take the throne if the people believed them capable but the throne could never, ever, ever fall to one who was incapable of duty. The herds must never again falter.

Despite all of their 'different' ways the Centauri were a good people, and dedicated to the betterment of their people. She also owed them a great deal. They had taken her in and nurtured her while…Well, there really was no while. Her past was unknown and when ever she had asked the story had always been the same. She could still here the voice of Ashwin, her surrogate mother and Flynn's sister who had passed a few seasons before saying the words that she had so often said regarding her past when she was younger. _Syfka brought you to us and asked us to raise you she also asked that you never come in contact with any of the other shifters. Though it seemed a strange request. We did not question her and simply loved you and raised you as one of our own foals_.

However, there was of course something lacking. She didn't have a gift and she wasn't trusted as others of the herd were. The power of fire speaking for example belonged to the current lord of the herds. It was even rumored that he also had the gift of twisting at his disposal but it was only a rumor and had never been demonstrated. Thank God for that, the gift of twisting was indeed a most rare gift, and...One of the most hideous. Unlike them though she had no gifts, she was as Flynn had said, different. Everything about her set her apart from them, the way she moved, the color of her eyes, her second form and…her fangs. A few of them joked that that was her power. The gift of grace and poison but she knew they were only saying so to try and help her feel more comfortable among them. There was no such gift and everybody knew it. Lifting her eyes to the sky she wondered for not the first time, _who am I really? _


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Kiesh'ra, it's characters, it's plot or anything else Amelia Atwater-Rhodes has created. Other then most of the plot ( I say most of because eventually some of this might tie in with FalconDance) the only thing I do own are the Centauri race and even that is an idea that has been around for a long time.

When everything was packed and the slow burning fire in the center of what had been our summer camp began to die the herd moved into formation and began shifting back and fourth. They were more nervous then she had originally thought, it wasn't just the fact that someone was coming…It was who was coming that was disturbing them. Quietly she slipped closer to the outskirts of the herd, watching them closely. Yes indeed, something big was afoot and it seemed everybody knew what it was about or at least had some sort of inkling…everybody but her.

Calling to mind all of her ancient history lessons she skimmed over what might be the cause of this. Being called to the circle out of season was a thing rarely done, an had we been called in the first place? Was there some unknown danger that rested on our borders? Was the leader to be dethroned? No, surely not. Namirak had just gotten the throne and had done nothing but good for his people as he promised and by the way they were all dancing back and fourth nervously it was something that came from the outsides. War? Usually not, after all they had no bad blood with any of the other elaivas. But if not any of that what then?

Making her way towards the center of the stamping people she spotted Flynn and made her way over to him. Most of the time during a move she traveled alone, and by a different route, away from the rest of the herd, there wasn't really anything to worry about in Centauri lands so no body worried about her. It was one of the few times she could slip into her vipers form without risking being stepped on. Under the current situation though she felt the need to at least tell him before she vanished into the grass.

But as she made her way toward him she found herself instead face to face with Anjou, current master of the herd. Unlike the position of Lord of the Herds herd master was a rank passed down from father to son. They were second to the lord only and dangerous as a result. Anjou had never cared for her, he had kept her away from his own offspring and all who wanted his favor followed suite. Doing as he did. He made sure that the herd was never truly at ease with her. Those who did take the risk and befriended the pale snake quickly fell out of his favor. If she hadn't been under the Lord's protection she would have been thrown out long ago.

Forcing her to stop and acknowledge him he blocked her path. Anjou wasn't the kind of person who could be easily avoided, standing a full hand over everyone except for Flynn he was larger then most of the others and had the look of a fighter from head to toe. When he implied something there were occasions when you could get out, but when he demanded there was no other way. Stopping and taking up a soldier's stance she looked at the ground in front of her feet, a knot forming in the pit of her stomach.

"You are staying here and will travel with the herd. We won't have you sneaking off." He said briskly, the normal scorn barely held back. His short, steel gray horse's ears were pined back against the rest of his humane skull as he glared giving him a baleful look.

"Sneaking? I never sneak Master Anjou." Each word came out forcefully, and cold, her eyes flashing betraying the anger she didn't dare let out with words. He was angry, obviously and the force of it was directed at her. She didn't blame him really, under such circumstances it wasn't exactly easy to get the rest of his people to listen to him but the wording of his request was uncalled for and they both knew it.

"I would argue the matter but we don't have time."

The horse masters voice was quiet yet sullen and dangerous. To argue with him now would be foolish, the whole herd was on edge and the tension was becoming almost unbearable. To madden the master more would do nothing for her.

"Fine then." Stalking away, her shoulders rigid she breathed in sharply. She would have to travel with the herd, end of story. Letting out the breath with a sigh she prepared herself for the long grueling day ahead…

The herd barely made the 'deadline', for dead was what it truly was. The Centuari stumbled with weariness having come a grueling fifty miles. Moving from dawn to dusk with barely a single stop for water or rest they had all pressed on valiantly. She had been carried as the pace would have been too much for her humane form and dismounting she thanked the raven haired bruja who had carried her for the last leg of the journey. She had been tossed back and forth throughout the day. No one could carry her for very long. First it had been Flynn then her friend Andromache, after that there were a few others as well as the raven haired girl.

As worn and tired as she was though her senses were still sharp, and she was alert as ever, it was one of the first thing she had been taught. Shifting slightly she thought she could feel someone watching her…Twin holes being burned into her back. She turned around sharply and saw a bruja watching her. The face was so familiar…yet at the same time so distant. Her eyes were blue which in itself was a rarity and held the knowledge of immeasurable wisdom. Complimented with a silver white coat and hair of the same shade she was an ethereal sight.

Nodding to her slowly the pale woman smiled at Caer, a smile that made her feel chills up and down her spine. Slipping back into the crowd she vanished among the chaos. Shivering slightly Caer wrapped her arms around herself and climbed up the stairs towards the room where she was staying. It was sparse and plain. She hadn't yet gotten out the few things that added color to the drab sage and honey hues that coated the room and it would have to be dusted and cleaned before she could really do anything with it. It was the price a nomad had to pay. Still though her hides were in her pack and her blankets were still locked in her closet along with some more of her clothes. She would be comfortable enough.

Sinking to the floor a blanket thrown around her shoulders to lazy to bother making her bed she took a deep breath and tried for the last time tried to make sense of the days strange events. Once again though they made no sense and laying her head against the wall she slipped into a troubled sleep. Lucid dreams traveled through her mind as she slept fitfully, she heard the cries of hunt and wondered what the prey was when she realized how fast she was running. A wolfs cry and the beating of wings were heard in her ear. Then the pale stranger she had seen earlier appeared and muttered a few words before fading into the darkness. _Ra-ahenleh-heasha. _Child of fate remember,_ La nasa._ …I command it.

The blank watery images gave way, to and crystal clear images appeared. She saw a man, his dark hair contrasting with his skin look at a child and then look away tears slipping out of his crimson eyes. Above him appeared a girl not much older then Caer with blood streaked black wings. Watching, waiting…Next the image of the man and girl faded away and she heard wing beats, accompanied by a flash of blue and a shape shifter took to the sky with a form unlike anything she had ever seen or heard of. An last but not least a woman looked down at her, pale viridian eyes unreadable and distant. Then blackness.

"Caer, Caer you have to get up now!"

Snapping out her fit full sleep she wiped her golden hair out of her eyes and quickly made her way to the door. She could sense her friends frantic emotions even from across the room and opened the door as quickly as she could. Before she could say another word Serena grabbed her and held her in a tight embrace, her body shaking.

"Caer they've come…she's come, she wants you back! She says you're to go with them, today. That's the reason we had to come so soon." The white vipers knees threatened to give out as she heard her friend's words.

"Who? Who wants me back? My place is here!" Stepping back Serena in full human form looked her in the eye for a brief moment before turning away. Her brown hair fell over her face like a chocolate cascade, obscuring her heavily tearing eyes.

"Syfka, that falcon…it's her, she's here with four others. They summoned Anjou here yesterday mourning. She...she says that your old enough now to come back with her and…and be prepared for the destiny that awaits you." The last words were spoken in barely a whisper.

"No…I can't she can't make me!" The last part off the sentence was almost screamed as Caer took off down the corridor. Flying down the flight of stair she emerged into the sunlight, her eyes still ringed with weariness and her hair tousled from sleep. What did they want with her? Why had they come back? For gosh sakes they had left her here! She may always be an outsider in the land of the horse but there was no way that she would go with the shm'Ahnmik to their islands. Not if she refused enough, not if she dug her heals in deep enough. Surely they wouldn't force her…

"Yes we would." A cool voice cut in.

Disturbing her frantic thoughts she looked up. She hadn't realized that she had been running so quickly that she was now in the center of the circle. Right where the falcons and the rest of the herd were waiting. Barely noticing her friend come up behind her she simply stared at the falcon royalty. The woman before her was tall and pale with golden hair and somewhat familiar crystal blue eyes that seemed to see through her rather then at her. Most interesting of all were the multi-colored blue strands framing her face.

Her presence was cold and I shivered slightly as she spoke again.

"It has been to long since I have last seen Maeve's kin. I fear I left you here for longer then what was good for you. But, those things can't be unmade can't they? You're coming with me we haven't got all day to argue."

But Caer wasn't about to come quite so easily…Digging her heels into the ground she glared at the falcon and hissed through her teeth. Green eyes flashed as she spoke and her tone was deadly.

"Make me." The simple words were spoken as a threat and though she knew they were powerless she would not step back and leave quite so easily. For many years she had livid the life of a nomad with a people who though they never really accepted her did care about her for the most part. She owed her life to them not this bird that merely dropped her here all those long years ago.

"Child you amuse me but we have no time." Turning her falcon fair face towards the guards she nodded to them and they took a menacing step towards the girl.

Suddenly though Flynn was at her side. Placing himself between her and the falcon guards, flicking his tail angrily it was obvious that he was seething with anger. Every muscle in the shifters dappled body was tense and his hands formed into fists as he glared at Syfka along with Caer. Summoning up his own power Caer watched with wide eyes as a ring of flames surrounded her. Never had she seen him use this gift…an never had she seen it so powerfully displayed. Slowly in her mind things began to piece together, why Flynn resembled Anjou, the whispers surrounding the two…But fire was a power only the aristocracy had and if Flynn was such then…Her thoughts were broken by angry words.

"How dare you leave her here for twenty years and then suddenly demand her back! She isn't even one of your own! If you dare try to-"

His words were cut off as the blue-black tar of falcon magic hit him and sent him to his knees. For a moment the flames still held, a veil to hide them, but in a moment even that was gone. Caer cried out as he simply lay there, on his knees, trembling as if he no longer had a grasp at anything. This was the man who had raised her, taken care of her, been a father and a protector to her for all these years…How could they be so cruel?

"It is time" she thought she heard the falcon say to her guards. Barely aware of them lifting her up and away she just heard the pale lady say; 'So sorry about your brother Anjou…but he was no more then an illegitimate bastard anyway. Such a pity though, he had such great power, he could have bested you in a moment." She laughed and then once again…There was blackness.

**A/N: Any guesses as to who Caer might be? Any flames? Any comments? All you have to do is go down to the little button in the corner and let me know...**


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